JAKAMOTAKO ART’S LIFE
Kefentse Keboitse, a 29 year old Serowe native, is a full time artistic coloured pencil drawer. He is a youthful man who finds art as a part of his journey and uses it to serve others and himself.
Going back all the way to his junior secondary school days, his journey with the fine arts has been, to him, something beyond interesting and introspective. In his journey into the art of drawing, Kefentse has since realised that it is his divine gift and it is a part of his life he Chose to make it his main source of income. The phrase “making your passion your profession” is to Kefentse, a motto for living.
Coloured pencils are his medium of choice, earning him a nickname “Jakamotako” which simply takes after his reputation of providing for himself through his art of coloured pencil drawings. Providing for himself through his art is simple for the Serowe native who offers commissioned artworks for a price. Most of his income has been through the works that people have commissioned him to produce.
Since the year 2016, Kefentse has been involved in a number of local competitions among which were the Presidential Arts Competitions. It was in the 2017 regional competition where his exhibited artwork scooped second place. The following year he scooped another regional second place position with his art. He continued with the competitions and commission works up untill today where most of his commission work is the primary source of income.
Portrait commissions are the most requested of his commission works and he believes that they are well received by people. Despite the fact that he has other types and kinds of drawings that are not necessarily portraits, he without a doubt does more portraits than all the others because of that reason. Keboitse has a dream of exhibiting his artworks before a great audience especially where his inspirational artist Wilson Ngoni would be showcasing. Participating in an event of such a calibre would in many ways be a highlight and high accomplishment of his career as a coloured pencil drawer.
Having a lot of time gives him enough to practice and become a better artist. “My recent artworks outclass the ones I did a few years ago and those ones outclass the others I did years before.” Kefentse said as he remarked on what he does to keep himself inspired to continue with the fine art of coloured pencil drawing. He does not make any long term plans concerning his artworks and his future as an artist because a few years ago he did not see himself as accomplished as he is today. “I do not want to miss out on opportunities by tying myself to plans. So I choose to be free and flow with things as they come and see what I become in the process.” He said when asked about future plans.
With a recent feature in the Mmegi newspaper, Kefentse has in so many ways found himself favoured and blessed especially when he considers how he did not foresee himself being in the position he is when he decided to take drawing as a full time career. He exhibits his artworks on his Facebook page “Decade Artworks” where he also shares his charges and methods of payment for commissions of his work. Kefentse Keboitse is one of Botswana’s great artists whose art has a place in many of the homes of Botswana.
Odirile Odirile is a young author, writer and poet who is passionate about the arts of Africa, from stage theatre to the art of writing and everything in between. He is also a reviewer of written artworks by African writers in the online magazine "Writers Space Africa".
